Lagan MEICA has designed and tested a pilot hybrid system to use an oxygen blend which will avail of existing delivery systems to enhance the sewage treatment process. This will give water companies and operators the benefit of a more economical, efficient process that treats more effluent, produces less sludge whilst maintaining the existing aeration equipment as back-up. The capital cost will also be less prohibitive than for a plant designed solely to use oxygen. This 10kw pilot plant will be scalable and pave the way for the 1MW demonstrator Electrolyser which Lagan MEICA will be installing in Belfast WWTW for NI Water

Oxygen is vital for the survival of the biomass and required for the consumption and stabilisation of contaminants in wastewater. Oxygen enrichment will provide very robust treatment process, increase reaction rates in the aeration tanks and potentially reduce sludge production and odour problems

Historically cost of oxygen enrichment has been prohibitive. Using oxygen has a few inherent risks that need to be addressed and the plant design will be subject to rigorous Risk Assessment and Hazard & Operability Study (HAZOP). There are numerous pure oxygen plants around the world but have been designed as pure oxygen treatment works. This is where the hydrogen element plays its part. On site Hydrogen production provides 8 tonnes of Oxygen for every I tonne of hydrogen produced.

A 10kw Electolyser, supplied by CPH2 ,was installed at our test site at Kinnegar demonstrated the technology and provided Oxygen for the trial.

The completion of this project as a reference plant could prove to be ground breaking to the future of WwTW design development in Northern Ireland and thereby help the industry prove its resilience and fitness for purpose in the low carbon economy.